Besançon to Ranchot

A mixture of old and new - part of the old town wall and a modern water sculpture - Besançon photo by Joan

An early start day (for us) as we were shooting for what would normally be a two day run. The sun was out and Besançon was not yet fully awake as we made our way around the cite one last time. Going down is so much easier than going up in the ecluses.

We prepare to lock around a barrage - abandoned factory in the background - photo by Joan

As we motor in the lock wall is easy to reach, instead of trying to lasso a bollard you can hardly see over your head. With at least half of the ecluses up when we arrived and the fact that we were going downstream on the Doubs we made really good time, arriving in Ranchot in the early afternoon and finding we had the entire port to ourselves.

Yet another ecluse to get us around another barrage. - photo by Joan

A few minutes later the first boat arrived - and as is the standard practice aboard Juniper, Joan and I got onto the quay to greet the new arrival and offer to take their lines. Ranchot has a bit more current running through than it looks like and the boat we were greeting was having a difficult time, they were quite happy to have our assistance. Once they were secured we returned to our books, then a bike ride out via the bike trail and back to the boat via back roads.

Our retired French teachers from Campaign - share a bottle of champagne with us.

A few minutes after returning Michael (pronounced Michele), from the hire boat we had helped, came over to invite us to have some Champaign with them in 20 minutes. The hire boat crew were all retired teachers from the Champaign region of France. While we had been cycling so had Jean Marie – but he had noticed the forest we had just gone through plus lots of wet weather and now sun – mushroom conditions. He’d found some of the biggest, greenest fungi I had ever seen. After cleaning them, with his special knife, and cooking them – they also became probably the best mushrooms I have ever had. Food, drink and conversation went on till well after dark. It turns out this was their first time chartering a boat and we were their for their first landing – it was great for all of us.

Jean-Marie showing off a few of the mushrooms he's gathered. Now cleaning them with his special knife.

Last time we were in Ranchot it was a Kiwi boat rescuing us, as there was no room at the quay. When they saw us arrive, they quickly got the boats that were already there to shuffle enough to create a hole for us. That also was a late night.

Morning fog greeted us the next morning as we head back to Dole - photo by Joan

Montbéliard to Deluze – Mom and Megan are aboard.

Our computer decided to no longer talk to our camera so it’s been a couple of weeks since we have been able to post anything. During that time our friends, Dick and Jenny, spent a week aboard with us traveling from Besançson to Montbéliard. From there the four of us rented a car and explored the Alsace region, took a one day cruise on the Rhine through the castle section then spent three days in Germany. I’ll attempt to get some posts about these adventures soon.

We now have Michael’s mother, who happens to be a spry 95 years old, and his niece who is her traveling partner, on break from being a wife and mother of three for ten days (thanks to my sister and brother-in-law).

Megan, mom and Joan heading for Montbéliard to explore town

Joan and Michael had spent the week between Dick and Jenny’s departure and Mom and Megan’s arrival kicking back, then battling the flu for a few days before having a couple of days to check out the French train museum in Mulhouse and the Eco Musee de Alsace before picking our guests up at the Basel airport and driving them to Montbéliard.

Once aboard Juniper we served them our house special: wine, an assortment of local cheeses, fresh bread and Dutch chocolate before turning out the lights.

Mom's portable backrest, or why grand daughters are special.

Our day in Montbéliard began with croissants, fresh from the boulangerie, and good strong coffee. We did a walking tour of the old town including the Catholic church built in the 1840’s, St. Martin’s Lutheran church, the oldest Lutheran church in France (built in the 1600’s) and of course a stop for a late morning café au lait. Mom took the afternoon to kick back aboard the boat while we took Megan back out to explore the local parks and walk the back streets of the old part of Montbéliard.

Saturday morning it was time to get back on the canal. Joan, Mom and Megan hit the local market, for local cheese and fresh veggies, while Michael got the boat ready to go. With the whole crew aboard we were able to shove off and cross the canal before tying up to exchange our empty butane cylinder. Chores done we got our new crew members up to speed handling ecluse lines and lassoing bollards. As a hold over from previous trips mom had been on with us we stopped for lunch, even though the ecluses being automatic don’t take an hour break.

Mom handling the bow line and Megan making Kodak memories. photo by Joan

Megan takes over the bow line from the housetop as the water drops

Our first day ended in l’Isle-sur-le-Doubs where we completed one more chore; filling gas cans and carrying them across the street from the closest gas station to the water on the entire canal to Juniper then gently pouring them into the tank using a funnel.

Sunday started with a pleasant surprise – the local boulangerie was open and we had fresh croissants with breakfast before traveling 31km and operating 14 ecluse to end up at Baume-les-Dames. Joan and Megan made the trip to town while Michael and Mom stayed on the boat.

Colorfully tiled bell tower in Deluze - one of the things unique to the French Compte region.

Monday was a bit shorter day getting us to Deluze in time to do a bit of exploring.

Megan, Michael and Joan found the trail leading to a small chapel overlooking the river and town, while mom spent the afternoon aboard Juniper reading and journaling before all getting together for dinner, wine and lots of talking and teasing.

The rewards of driving in the rain - the rainbow when the sun finally comes out. photo by Joan

Tuesday Deluze lived up to its Juniper nickname of deluge – again we got soaked with pouring down rain for most of the day. The sun finally popped out just in time to show Besançon off in all its glory as we took the tunnel under the town, then followed the river back through town to our moorage.

Besançon is beautiful from the water - photo by Joan

The harbor - right in the middle of the old city

Ranchot to Besançon

Dinner for two - tomorrow it's time to leave Ranchot for Besançon

Having taken an extra day in Ranchot we were ready to be on the water early as we headed for Besançon. We woke up at seven and by eight had made the mandatory trip to the boulangerie for croisannts and the day’s fresh bread, made coffee (and had a first cup, topped off the water, checked the engine and had most of our necessary gear on deck for the day’s travel.

As we approach each ecluse we use our remote at about 200 metres to activate the lock

Once the lock is ready and the doors are open we enter then lift the blue lever when we are ready to the lock to close and fill with water.

The trip to Besançon is a bit long for one day so our goal was to be on the water early enough to get one of the two spots above the ecluse at Thoraise. This would not only give us a prime moorage spot but allow us to see the wildlife along the river that is all in hiding by our usual ten o’clock start.

Our moorage spot at Thoraise - looking into the tunnel. On the far side you can see the waterfall coming down over the opening. The water stops just before you are about to get wet (or at least it's supposed to.

It’s been a dry hot season in this part of France and water levels are quite low, in fact so low that we had to cut our speed significantly in order to not leave a wake that was braking in the shallows while on the canal portions of the day (a breaking wake does more erosional damage to the canal).

Arriving at Thoraise the mooring pontoon was empty, we tied up leaving room for a second boat and had lunch. By the time we had finished the wind was blowing fairly strong and when the second boat arrived for the night it took all hands to get them safely secured.

Formations in the limestone caves of Grott de Oreselle

That afternoon Joan and I rode our bikes to the limestone grotto in Orselle to take the tour of Grott de Oreselle. While the explanation was all in French, the formations were beyond words. A nice ride uphill (but down wind) brought us back to “Juniper” in time for dinner and wine.

The citadel overlooking our entry to Besançon via the river Doubs

The city of Besançon from the river as we work our way around to our marina for the night.

The day to Besançon was again hot, and a bit later start. Like the day before we were back and forth between the River Doubs and the canal Rhone au Rhîne. The arrival to Besançon is amazing. As you approach the city you have the citadel  overlooking your every move. The old city is in the middle of a river curve making it almost an island. Our moorage was right in the middle of the old town, next to the last manually operated ecluse and we believe to be the last with wooden gates, at least on this canal.